Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotations on Suffering

There is not much sense in suffering, since drugs can be given for pain, itching, and other discomforts. The belief has long died that suffering here on earth will be rewarded in heaven. Suffering has lost its meaning.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004) American Psychiatrist

But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it’s better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you’re fighting for.
Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist

The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard.
Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist

To choose a hardship for ourselves is our only defense against that hardship. This is what is meant by accepting suffering. Those who, by their very nature, can suffer completely, utterly, have an advantage. That is how we can disarm the power of suffering, make it our own creation, our own choice; submit to it. A justification for suicide.
Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator

Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.
Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar

The salvation of the world is in man’s suffering.
William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist

Do you want a sign that you’re asleep? Here it is: you’re suffering. Suffering is a sign that you’re out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there’s falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality, when your falsehoods clash with truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.
Anthony de Mello (1931–87) Indian-born American Theologian

To bear other people’s afflictions, everyone has courage and enough to spare.
Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat

What is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering and sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering.
Buddhist Teaching

Affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it.
John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric

The mind grows sicker than the body in contemplation of it’s suffering.
Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet

In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.
Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright

If you suffer, thank God! It is a sure sign that you are alive.
Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher

Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope
The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith

If suffer we must, let’s suffer on the heights.
Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist

A man will renounce any pleasures you like but he will not give up his suffering.
Georges Gurdjieff (1877–1949) Armenian Spiritual Leader, Occultist

The sufferings that fate inflicts on us should be borne with patience, what enemies inflict with manly courage.
Thucydides (c.455?c.400 BCE) Greek Historian

There is a very real danger of our drifting into an attitude of contempt for humanity. We know quite well that we have no right to do so, and that it would lead us into the most sterile relation to our fellow-men. The following thoughts may keep us from such a temptation. It means that we at once fall into the worst blunders of our opponents. The man who despises another will never be able to make anything of him. Nothing that we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves. Why have we hitherto thought so intemperately about man and his frailty and temptability? We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer. The only profitable relationship to others—and especially to our weaker brethren—is one of love, and that means the will to hold fellowship with them. God himself did not despise humanity, but became man for men’s sake.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian

It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer
William Blackstone (1723–80) English Judge, Jurist, Academic

In default of inexhaustible happiness, eternal suffering would at least give us a destiny. But we do not even have that consolation, and our worst agonies come to an end one day.
Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author

You don’t have to suffer to be a poet. Adolescence is enough suffering for anyone.
John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator

Suffering is permanent, obscure and dark, And shares the nature of infinity
William Wordsworth (1770–1850) English Poet

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) Vietnamese Buddhist Religious Leader, Teacher, Author, Peace Activist

It is the lot of man to suffer.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State

The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust
Brennan Manning (1934–2013) American Theologian, Author

It is good for me that I was afflicted that I may learn Thy statutes.
The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith

Suffering is but another name for the teaching of experience, which is the parent of instruction and the schoolmaster of life.
Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet

All violence is the result of people tricking themselves into believing that their pain derives from other people and that consequently those people deserve to be punished.
Marshall Rosenberg (1934–2015) American Psychologist, Peace Advocate

I can sympathize with everything, except suffering.
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright

A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It’s not our thoughts, but our attachment to our thoughts, that causes suffering. Attaching to a thought means believing that it’s true, without inquiring. A belief is a thought that we’ve been attaching to, often for years.
Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author

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